The present disclosure relates to circuit structures, and more specifically, to an integrated circuit (IC) structure for moisture and chip integrity monitoring having interdigitated conductive elements.
During IC packaging and package qualification, monitoring of chip package integrity is an important part of the process. Similar monitoring of crack propagation or moisture ingress may be valuable after a device is manufactured and deployed. IC chips are formed on a semiconductor wafer and separated into individual chips by cutting that can damage the chips. Any moisture or cracks/defects in an IC structure can lead to chip failures and/or performance degradation. Sensing and monitoring moisture and cracks/defects will prevent chip failures from these issues. Various IC chips include one or more metal fills positioned near the perimeter edge for stemming crack propagation or moisture ingress form the edge of the chip. As IC devices continue to shrink and densify, space on an IC chip has become more valuable. It has become more difficult to accommodate each of the various structures for monitoring and preserving the structural integrity of a circuit. In particular, the physical space for accommodating metal fills to obstruct cracks and moisture must compete with the metal wires and circuitry for monitoring the progress of cracks and/or moisture into the structure of an IC chip.